Team China reels from friendly fiasco

Shocking defeat to Hong Kong leaves fans fearful for squad's prospects at upcoming Asian Cup

Team China made headlines again for all the wrong reasons after slumping to a 2-1 defeat to Hong Kong, China, on Monday.

To compound the misery, Team China saw three red cards, including one for an assistant coach, in the closed-door friendly in Abu Dhabi.

The latest morale-sapping loss has heightened concerns among fans and pundits that the team could be set for a humiliating group-stage exit at the upcoming AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

"This is how the Chinese men's soccer team 'surprises' everyone in their first match of 2024. Nine-man Team China suffered a 2-1 defeat to Hong Kong ... The last time Team China lost to Hong Kong was back in 1985. It's getting harder and harder for the squad," sports commentator Han Qiaosheng wrote online.

Team China's defeat instantly became trending news on Chinese social media. The hashtag "Chinese men's soccer team given three red cards" and "Team China lost to Chinese Hong Kong for first time in 38 years" had been viewed over 36 million and 20 million times respectively on Weibo by Tuesday morning, with the majority of fans expressing their frustration.

In contrast, Hong Kong's two-goal hero Poon Pui-hin savored a rare victory for his team.

"It's not easy for us to beat Team China. So I'm thrilled to be able to score. This is a result of the joint efforts of the entire squad and our coach. We are sharing the joy and we hope to play better in the future... this match is a huge confidence boost for us," Poon said.

According to Beijing Youth Daily, the three red cards were shown to midfielder Wang Shangyuan, defender Wu Shaocong and one of the squad's assistant coaches. Now the priority for head coach Aleksandar Jankovic is to help his team shake off the negativity as soon as possible. Monday's defeat followed a 2-0 loss to Oman.

"This is an embarrassing way to start 2024. After consecutive defeats, Team China's confidence has been badly hit. But for head coach Jankovic, there's no time to complain. He must help the team recover from this and regain their momentum again," read a Beijing Youth Daily commentary.

"With two players sent off, the nine-man Chinese team was unable to secure a victory. It is not fair to say that Team China's players didn't try hard, but they did not play well. A key problem was that they became emotional on the pitch. Many actions were totally unnecessary.

"The plan for Jankovic was to test the team's skills and tactics through the friendly, but the outcome was unexpected ... The clock is ticking and there is little time left for Team China to bounce back."

Team China goalkeeper Wang Dalei blamed fatigue for the poor performance, revealing Jankovic has been pushing the players in training ahead of his team's opening Asian Cup match against Tajikistan on Jan 13.

"The head coach has devised heavy training plans for us. Some players have found it very tough, so we are not in top condition. In these matches, we can usually play well in the first half, and then our stamina drops quickly in the second half," Wang told Titan Sports.

"Tiredness can lead to some unexpected errors on the pitch. But, the goal of these friendlies is to prepare for the Asian Cup. The heavy training plans are intended to test our fitness, tactics and skills."

According to Titan Sports, head coach Jankovic is well-aware that his intense training sessions initially take their toll on players' stamina. He told Titan that he believed the players should still execute his tactics even when their bodies are feeling the strain.

The coach added that he didn't place too much importance on the results of the friendlies, and they were more a way of gauging fitness levels.

Team China will kick off its Asian Cup campaign on Jan 13 against Tajikistan in Doha before taking on Lebanon four days later. China's last Group A match is against Qatar on Jan 22. A total of 24 teams will compete in six groups, while the top two from each group and the four best third-place finishers will advance to the round of 16, which begins on Jan 28.

In the wake of the consecutive defeats, many are questioning if Team China is ready for the Asian Cup. However, goalkeeper Wang insists he and his teammates will head to Qatar hopeful of making a deep run.

"For a veteran like me, I just want to help the team, especially the younger players as much as possible. I want to encourage them and help them to improve. The priority for me is to be ready and adjust myself to 100 percent," he said.

"In terms of the team, I just hope we can go as far as possible at the Asian Cup. And I hope we won't celebrate Spring Festival at home, as the final of the Asian Cup will be staged during that time."

Striker Zhang Yuning was also adamant the mood in the camp remains upbeat.

"I just feel the atmosphere of the team is great now, as we have been training together for a while without a break. Everyone is trying their best and we share the same goal. We all want to make the best possible preparation for the Asian Cup. And we believe we can bounce back," Zhang told reporters.

"But we are still working on it, and we haven't reached our peak condition yet in the friendlies. I believe, at the Asian Cup, we can create more chances and produce better performances. I'm still very confident about the Asian Cup. We hope to show our spirit, and deliver good results for the fans."

shifutian@chinadaily.com.cn